If a homeless person steals bread from a store.

Yes, he should be locked up for the night where he will have a warm bed to sleep in and will be given proper meals

Isn't he punished enough for being homeless?

the goverment who allows homelessness should be punished... there is no reason any person should be homeless in the other then personal greed.
countries like finland have completely solved the problem and safed money that way too

What's necessary is legal. They shouldn't be punished for it, as long as there were no other reasonable alternatives at the time (i.e. a nearby food bank or strong social safety net).

Never. We have to understand where people are in life and why might somebody take food from a store without paying instead of worrying about food being stolen by somebody who desperately needed it to survive. I actually encourage it and I always encourage non guest to get a free breakfast at hotels. Most times the front desk people aren’t even paying attention and there’s policies hotels have that they can’t serve things that need to be reheated like eggs and bacon. Everything has to be fresh. And if not, it gets thrown out anyways so somebody might as well put the food to use

This is why the DA’s office has prosecutorial discretion. Do you want to spend tens of thousands of dollars of tax payer’s money on a case of a homeless man trying to eat? Do your constituents want to see his/her efforts and resources utilized like this?

This is also why police exercise discretion on their part. Is your time better spent taking a couple hours or more processing this guy? or dealing with more serious and pressing issues? Do you want to be *that guy* who sent a homeless person to prison?

It’s just economy of time, energy, resources. It’s also the values expressed by police and prosecutors.

Here I have seen these cases, and police have just bought the people food from their own pockets. And connected people with services.

I just did a Google search and see cases of people sentenced to 18 months for shoplifting food as an indigent person. It costs about $100-120 a day to incarcerate a person, so that 18 month sentence is $50,000-60,000+ out of the tax payer’s pocket.

Of course there are people who nut on that. People need to be held accountable. Legit. Can we start with shit like an American being sexually assaulted every 68 seconds? Plz?

Stealing is against the law. So it should be punished, but not harshly; at the same time the person should be offered help getting off the streets so that stealing is no longer necessary.

I was a store clerk, I'd let him carry on his way.

No

Ticket him, or her, but get him or her the access to social help he or she needs. It may not be punishment they need, it may be proper counseling.

Do you really mean “homeless,” or poor and hungry? There are homeless who have money for food, and there are those who have homes, and no food.

There are food banks and homeless shelters stealing is still considered a crime despite anyone circumstances.

Yes. The law is the law, and everyone deserves justice.

Sweep the parking lot and pick up all the litter outside for a week.

The law would still punish that person, but no he should not be punished, in my books

I don't know. I've known some people that need food, then again I knew someone that used people and was homeless. I've known more than a few of both types so it's hard saying. I've known several people who just don't want to work, nothing wrong with them and they've even stated as much.

Nah.

Most shoplifting isn't homeless people stealing food anyway; it's organized theft stealing things to re-sell. Those people should be locked up for a long time. A homeless person stealing bread? Maybe direct them to a place where they can get food. Supermarkets toss out bread that's past the date even if it's still good.

Case by case basis.
If I owned a store, would I allow it? Yes.
Objectively, we cannot set such a standard, stealing is the gateway to many more crimes.

Of course not. One’s obligation to follow laws is based purely on one’s income .
That makes the poor exempt.

I'd give him some peanutbutter too but, say all you have to do mr. is ask me first.

“They do not despise the thief, When he stealeth to fill his soul when he is hungry,”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6:30‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

No, food security should be a right.

No, considering that people who can afford booking a night at a hotel do steal stuff there.

Give him more.

Yes

No.

A hungry homeless person stealing food is pitiful enough. Punished? No. Fed? yes. I always keep my 12 volt electric cooler filled with water and I carry nonperishable food for them, as well as dog food and treats, since approximately 10% of homeless people have dogs.

Yup, in theory, but I'd rather catch him or her on the way out and not deal with the punishment crap.

I sure as shit wouldn't bust him.
Food should be a right.

Only if he's Canadian

Yepp but It's all up to the owner of the store though. There are alot places they can get a free meal